Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-07-20

etantiy surrounding them, MANY such
unfortunate persons have been reclaim
ed and raised from vice anddegredation.
Homes,, once shAttersd, are frightened
ant made happy, and Humanity is bene-
fitted thereby.
But how is 1t with the fallen woman,
whose only home is the house Of pros
tisssion!
Who and how many men and women
ever enter such places, seek out such IN
fortunate individuals. and, by words of
encouragement and promises OF protee-
tion, attempt, in aby way, to carry the
work OF reform in that direction? There
is no answer They are far too low and
degrading to enlist the aid OF the good
and the pure. Such places hannt their
shame before the very eyes OF virtue,
and vice of every description skulks be-
hind these enclosures. The ulcer of lust
testers and dourishes III its luxurisnt
bot bee, while philanthropy, freeh from
the priAons and siums, passes silently
and hnrredly on, muttering, in suppress
ed tones, II am holier than thou"
Gentlemen of the council must be
aware that the laws of this territory and
the ordinance OF this city do not toier-
ate such dens of vice, and both the
VI GonOth ~ tbo olotbuuCCo
of the city ef Yankton inhibit, in every
reasonable and practical way, all houses
OF prostitution within the territory and
within the city.
The territorial law is in these words:
REVISED STATUTES, CHAPTER xxxIII.
SEQ. $40. Keeping Bawdy house,
Every person who keeps any
bawdy house, house of Ill
fame, of designation, or of
prostitution. or any other house or place
for persons to visit for unia wful sexual
intercourse or for any other lewd,
obscene or indecent purpose, is guilty of
q misdemeanor.
SEQ. 81. Keeping disorderly house:-
Every person who keeps any dlsordsrly
house, OF public resort by which the
peace, comfors or ae5snoy oi the imme-
diate neighborhood is habitually dis
turbed, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Sec 372. Letting buildings for I'M
lawful purposes:-Every person who let's
any building or portion OF any building,
knowing that it is intended to be used
for any purpose declared punishable by
this chapter, OF who otherwise permits
any building or portion of building to
be SO used is guilty of a misdemeanor.
All executive officers, such as sheriffs,
constables and Justices OF the peace, are
charged by the laws of the territory with
the enforcement of all penal statutes,
and any person having knowledge of a
violation of law can enforce the law, and
county attorneys are provided and
paid for enforcing al, criminal statutes
Of the territory.
The. laws are ample and sufficient .
The enforcement of the law is what is
needed. ALI citizens are as much in
duty bound to aid in the enforcement OF
the law as the officers themselves are.
Every man and woman should under
stand this duty.
The wise %oounnillors of this city, who
have preceded the present mayor and
council have enacted relative to the sup.
preston Of houses OF prostitution as fol.
lows:
lREYISED CITY ORDINANCES, CHAPTER XIII
SEQ. ID. Disorderly and houses oil
prostitution-Any person who within
the limits of this city, shall keep Oh
maintain, or shall be ali inmate OF, or in
any way connected with, or shall in any
manner contribute to the support OF any
house of prostitution, or other disorder.
ly house, or shall knowingly lease any
building, place, lot or premises, to any
notorious prostitute, or to any person for
the purpose of being kept or used as q
house or place of prostitution, shall
upon conviction thereof, be fined in any
sum not to exceed fifty dollars, and in
addition thereto may be imprisoned not
to exceed thirty days.
Sec. IA Conduct in houses of prostitu.
tion:-uin any house Of prostitution in
this city or in any room or building con.
neeted herewith, any loud or unusual
noises shall be permitted therein, or il
the inmates thereof shall engage in any
concert or dancing therein, or. shall
indecentiy expose themselves to public
gaze, or if in any such place shall be-
come IN habitual resort for pimps
vagrant or other idle or vicious persons
the owner, keeper and all occupants and
~frequenters of such house, room or place
shall, on conviction thereof, be fined il
any sum not exceeding tifty dol.
lars and in addition thereto may be i'm
prisoned moi to exceed thirty days.
By the express terms of the charter Of
the city the mayor is charged with the
enforcement of all ordinances of the
city. We refer the council to the fol.
lowing provisions.
City Chsrter;-Seo. AZ. Mayor has
control of officers and affairs of city -
The mayor shall have the superintend
ing control OF ahii tho officers and affairs
of the city, and shall take care that the
ordinances OF the CITY and this act arr
the city charter relating to the duties o.
the Mayor.
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